Sailor and the Ruined Castle, Con't Chapter Two

Just at dawn...

The scene grew swiftly dim and faded quickly before Sailor's startled eyes as the blue haze of the forest with the sunlit field just beyond came into sharp focus. Was he still trapped in the strange woods? He knew the town had been real, just as he now understood that the fishing village just down the hill from the ruined castle was, in fact at one time, the medieval village he was just in. As he blinked, the sunlight seemed to move towards him as it overtook the woods. The night and the blue haze vanished amongst the chatter of leaves in the cool wind coming off the ocean below. Sailor looked to the sky and beheld trees that were once again resplendent with autumn foliage. Realization was now breaking and trying to make its way into his balking mind but would he accept it? Was he starting to perceive the truth and the reality of his existence? Sailor wasn't sure of anything he had just experienced. He was content to let it go for now and explore it no further. Right at the moment all he wanted was to go back to the fishing village, back to what was familiar to him. The fish mongers and the wharf, to spend his days watching the fishing boats go out and come back in with their catches. Sailor suddenly longed to sit in his favorite places and to sleep in his chosen niches and eat out of the fish bucket again. This was the comfort he sought now.

Now, at dusk.

Catspaw

Sailor and the Ruined Castle, Con't Chapter Two

The Town

With his eyes still closed he could smell smoke. Then the noise broke in on him but Sailor didn't move, nor did he open his eyes. His breath came fast and his heart pounded in his chest. Horses whinnied and shined in this place, he heard the baying of sheep somewhere and loud bells were tolling. Sailor cocked his head as he listened; he could make out the peculiar sound of wagon wheels slipping on cobblestones as the wagons were being drawn by horses and the ring of hammers against wood. Everywhere was the busy sound of people; people shouting, people calling out, people talking and was that a pig's squeal?! 

It had rained here too. Not only could Sailor hear people and animals slosh through puddles but he could smell the rain above the tainted smells coming off the river. He sensed he was somewhere up high above the stink of the town because a breeze brushed his whiskers; he unclosed his eyes and what he beheld was a bustling and industrious medieval town; one that he Recognized! 

Eyes wild with astonishment, Sailor sat up and gazed round him. He was sitting on castle walls! A huge rampart that seemed to encircle the entire town! There were gaters or watchmen walking along the narrow palisades carrying spears and peering over the walls to the dirt road below where a huge iron gate was swung wide. A gatekeeper was checking wagons and talking to people desiring entrance into the town. The gators acknowledged his presence but took no further interest in Sailor as he walked the bulwark, gazing at the activity in the town below as he went.

Catspaw